Jacci Sharkey breastfeeding her son while wearing her graduation robe. Photo: Facebook

"I'm extremely proud that with the support of the Uni, during my degree I was able to have 2 babies and still finish my degree. Thanks USC!"

The photo also attracted thousands of comments, with the majority expressing admiration for Ms Sharkey.

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"I'm shocked and stunned [at the response]. Secretly I was hoping for 100 likes ... and it's just gone viral," the 24-year-old told Fairfax Media.

"It's something that probably shouldn't even be newsworthy; [breastfeeding] is just a normal thing. My sister-in-law just picked up the camera and took [the photo] ... it was on a bench outside the graduation hall in a little cafe area."

Ms Sharkey posted the photo to Facebook to thank the university and also inspire other women.

"I envisaged it as empowering mothers, empowering women, saying you can have it all, you can have a career, you can have kids, you don't have to give up anything."

Both of Ms Sharkey's children, Ari, 20 months old, and Alek, now 11 weeks, were born during her three and a half years at university and also while her husband was working a fly-in, fly-out job and often away from home for long periods of time.

Ms Sharkey said USC had been supportive of her and other mothers and allowed her to take her son to lectures.